1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cylinder head for use with an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to such a cylinder head that does not utilize conventional valves and associated mechanical components.
2. Setting of the Invention
The automobile industry is striving to develop engines of reduced size, increased horsepower and reduced emissions. The benefits of these engine developments will be experienced by the customer, as well as other persons by way of less demand for raw materials and a cleaner environment.
In trying to achieve the above mentioned goals engine designers have found that smaller engines will need to operate at higher than normal revolutions-per-minute (RPMs) and more efficiently. Conventional internal combustion engines with their valves, lifters, rocker arms, springs and push rods have a practical operating limit of about 5,000 rpm. Further, conventional internal combustion engines cannot have their size and weight reduced much below current standards because of the size and mechanical requirements to house, cool and operate the valves, lifters, rocker arms, springs, push rods and etc. There is a need for an internal combustion engine that does not have these drawbacks.
Several innovative internal combustion engine designs have been disclosed in the past, yet none, other than the rotary or Wankel engine, have been widely used. One reason that these innovative designs have not been widely used is because the changing over from one standard type of engine to a potentially radical new design meets with industry and customer resistance. This resistance is partly due to a reluctance to write off investments in conventional tooling and to make all other automobile engines obsolete. Therefore, there is a need for internal combustion engine components that provide the goals mentioned above and can be used in place of or retrofitted to a conventional internal combustion engine.
One innovative internal magazine combustion engine design is disclosed in "Truckin" magazine, September, 1991, at page 26. This engine design used a plurality of spheres mounted separately to thin rods in place of the conventional valve train. Cavities in the spheres permit fluid flow from/into the cylinders when the spheres are rotated.